Suspense episode titled “The Cave of Ali Baba” (August 19, 1942)

Episode: “The Cave of Ali Baba” (August 19, 1942)
Cast and Roles
Romney Brent as Lord Peter Wimsey (aka Joseph Rogers): A British aristocrat and amateur detective who infiltrates a secret criminal society. Brent, a stage actor and director, brings a refined yet cunning tone to the role.

William Malten as Number One: The leader of the criminal society, a menacing figure whose identity is masked by a number-based system.

Ara Gerald as The Lady: Likely a female accomplice or victim within the criminal society, adding emotional or dramatic stakes.

Cathleen Cordell: A supporting role, possibly a society member or ally of Wimsey, contributing to the intrigue.

Victor Beecroft, Roland Bottomley, J.W. Austin, William Podmore, Ian Martin: Broadway and early film actors playing society members, informants, or minor characters, chosen for their stage experience, possibly by Brent.

Berry Kroeger as Narrator: Provides context and transitions, guiding the audience through the complex plot.

Ed Fleming as CBS Announcer: Handles introductions, sponsor plugs (Roma Wines or no sponsor in this early episode), and transitions.

Producer: Robert Shayon Lewis.

Writer: Peter Lyon (adapted from Dorothy L. Sayers’ short story “The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba”).

Note: The cast featured an unusual group of Broadway and early film actors, likely selected for their theatrical flair, aligning with the episode’s British detective tone. Romney Brent is consistently cited as the lead in reliable sources, with “Rodney Brent” likely a typo or confusion in some archives (e.g., Vimeo).

Episode Summary
“The Cave of Ali Baba” aired on CBS on August 19, 1942, as the 10th episode of Suspense, a radio drama series subtitled “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills.” This 30-minute episode, available on the Internet Archive, is adapted by Peter Lyon from Dorothy L. Sayers’ 1928 short story “The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba,” part of her Lord Peter Views the Body collection. It features her detective Lord Peter Wimsey and includes a sci-fi element ahead of its time.

Opening: The episode opens with a World War II Victory public service announcement, reflecting the wartime context. The Suspense announcer introduces the story as a thrilling adventure of Lord Peter Wimsey, setting a tone of mystery and danger.

Plot: Lord Peter Wimsey, a suave British detective, fakes his death to infiltrate a secret criminal society whose members identify by numbers, not names, to maintain anonymity. Posing as Joseph Rogers, Wimsey spends two years gathering intelligence on their activities, which involve theft and possibly murder. The society operates from a hidden base, accessible via a voice-operated vault—a futuristic device that responds only to specific voices, a sci-fi concept novel for 1942. When Wimsey’s cover is blown, he’s exposed as a traitor. In a tense climax, he traps the leader, Number One, in the vault, using his own voice to lock it, as only Wimsey’s voice can reopen it. The resolution sees the society dismantled, with Wimsey’s cunning saving the day.

Climax and Twist: The twist hinges on the voice-operated vault, a plot device that feels fantastical yet foreshadows voice recognition technology. Wimsey’s quick thinking traps the leader, turning the society’s secrecy against it. The climax uses sound effects like echoing vaults and tense dialogue to build suspense.

Resolution: The episode likely concludes with Wimsey reflecting on the case, possibly with a witty remark, followed by a sponsor plug (if any) and the announcer teasing next week’s episode. The tone balances British detective charm with Suspense’s thrilling pace.

Tone and Style: Unlike Lights Out’s supernatural horror, this episode is a suspenseful crime drama with a sci-fi twist, focusing on deception and intellectual cunning. It’s family-friendly, suitable for the 8:30 p.m. ET slot, but gripping for all ages.

Note: The episode’s plot is well-documented due to its basis in Sayers’ story, available in her 2002 collection Dorothy L. Sayers: The Complete Stories. The voice-operated vault is noted for its prescient technology, as discussed in a 2016 Oxford University Press blog.

U.S. News on August 19, 1942
Based on historical records and news archives for August 19, 1942:
Dieppe Raid Aftermath: On August 19, Allied forces, primarily Canadian, launched the Dieppe Raid on Nazi-occupied France, a major news story. By day’s end, reports confirmed heavy losses, with over 3,000 of 6,000 troops killed or captured. U.S. newspapers like The New York Times covered the raid’s failure, dampening morale but highlighting Allied resolve.

War Production Push: The U.S. ramped up war production, with factories producing tanks, planes, and ships. On August 19, reports praised women joining the workforce, filling roles left by enlisted men, a key home-front story.

Rationing Expansion: Rubber and gasoline rationing tightened, with tire shortages prompting campaigns for conservation. On August 19, news outlets urged civilians to limit driving, reflecting wartime sacrifice.

Patriotic Entertainment: Radio and Hollywood supported the war effort. On August 19, Variety noted stars like Bob Hope performing for troops, aligning with Suspense’s wartime broadcasts.

These events underscored a nation mobilized for World War II, with radio shows like Suspense offering thrilling escapism.
International News on August 19, 1942
Dieppe Raid: The failed Allied raid on Dieppe dominated global news. On August 19, international dispatches reported the operation’s high casualties and strategic lessons, with Churchill defending it as a test for future invasions.

Battle of Stalingrad: The German advance on Stalingrad intensified, with Soviet forces resisting. On August 19, news highlighted the city’s bombardment, foreshadowing the brutal siege ahead.

Pacific Theater: The Guadalcanal Campaign, launched August 7, saw U.S. Marines battling Japanese forces. On August 19, reports noted early Allied gains, a critical step in the Pacific war.

Holocaust Early Reports: Though not widely publicized, August 1942 saw initial Allied reports of Nazi atrocities. On August 19, diplomatic channels discussed Jewish deportations, but military news overshadowed these, delaying public awareness.

These global stories reflected a world at war, with Suspense providing a gripping diversion from grim realities.
Cultural Impact, If Any
“The Cave of Ali Baba” had modest but notable cultural impact as an early Suspense episode, contributing to the series’ growing legacy:
Suspense’s Early Success: As the 10th episode of Suspense, which ran from 1942 to 1962 with over 900 surviving episodes, “The Cave of Ali Baba” helped establish the show’s formula: a normal protagonist (here, a detective) in a threatening situation, with a thrilling resolution. Its success solidified Suspense as “radio’s outstanding theater of thrills,” influencing later crime dramas.

Sci-Fi Innovation: The voice-operated vault, a sci-fi element, was ahead of its time, foreshadowing voice recognition technology developed decades later. This drew attention from modern scholars, as noted in a 2016 Oxford blog, highlighting Sayers’ prescient imagination.

British Detective Appeal: The episode introduced U.S. audiences to Lord Peter Wimsey, Dorothy L. Sayers’ aristocratic detective, contrasting with grittier American detectives like Sam Spade. While some critics found Wimsey old-fashioned compared to contemporaries, his charm and the episode’s theatrical cast appealed to wartime listeners, offering a refined escape from war news.

Wartime Escapism: Airing amid the Dieppe Raid’s failure, the episode provided a thrilling distraction for families, aligning with radio’s role as a morale booster. Its crime-focused narrative, unlike Lights Out’s horror, suited a broad audience, including children, in its prime-time slot.

Limited Legacy: While not as iconic as Suspense episodes like “Sorry, Wrong Number,” “The Cave of Ali Baba” is preserved in archives and praised by old-time radio fans for its clever plot and Sayers’ source material. Its niche appeal endures, with modern podcasts like Ghoulish Delights and Classic Detective Stories revisiting it.